Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick County, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta Ó Cuív. Tá freagra na ceiste agam ón Aire Sláinte, an Teachta Donnelly. Ba mhaith liom buíochas a ghabháil leis an Teachta as ucht deis a thabhairt don Aire an t-eolas is déanaí a chur ar fáil don Teach maidir le seirbhísí sláinte ar an gCeathrú Rua i gCo na Gaillimhe agus go háirithe maidir le hionad altranais phobal Áras Mhic Dara. Ba mhaith liom a dheimhniú leis an Teachta Ó Cuív go bhfuil an tAire Stáit, Deputy Butler tiomanta d’oibriú taobh le cúram sláinte pobal an iarthar i bhfeidhmeannach na seirbhísí sláinte lena chinntiú go mbeidh teacht acu siúd a bhfuil seirbhísí sláinte ag teastáil uathu, ina bpobal féin. Is príomh-thosaíocht é don Roinn Sláinte tacú le níos mó daoine chun go mbeidh siad ábalta maireachtáil go neamhspleách ina gcuid tithe agus ina gcuid pobal féin le daonnacht agus le neamhspleáchas chomh fada agus is féidir i gcomhréir le fís Sláintecare i dtaobh an cúram ceart a fháil san áit ceart agus ag an am ceart.

Tá gairmithe in ionaid lae in ann cur go mór leis an sprioc sin trí thacaíocht, comhairle agus caidreamh sóisialta a chur ar fáil do dhaoine a mbeadh na rudaí seo oiriúnach dóibh ar chúiseanna éagsúla. I mbuiséid 2023, bhí ríméad ar an tAire Stáit, an Teachta Butler, maoiniú breis is €2 mhilliún a fháil le cur i dtreo tús a chur arís le seirbhísí cúram lae chomh maith le €2.1 milliún a fháil le haghaidh seirbhísí cúram lae pobal atá dírithe go sonrach ar neartú. Tá an fheidhmeannacht ag cur tús le seirbhísí cúram lae i mbealach chomh tapaigh agus chomh sábháilte is gur féidir. Is tosaíocht é sin i gcónaí ag an Rialtas agus tá monatóireacht gníomhach á dhéanamh ar an dul chun cinn ina leith. Ba mhaith liom a dheimhniú go bhfuil an fheidhmeannacht tugtha do sheirbhís cúram lae a chur ar fáil in Áras Mhic Dara a bheidh ábalta cúram a chur ar fáil do idir ocht agus deich duine. Tá láthair san ionad seo chun an tseirbhís seo a chur ar fáil. Tá sé curtha in iúl ag an bhfeidhmeannacht go mbeidh ochtar ar a laghad ag teastáil sula mbeifear ábalta tús a chur arís leis an seirbhís seo. Go dtí seo, níor léirigh ach duine amháin spéis sa tseirbhís cúram lae. Idir an dá linn, tá seirbhís cúram lae pobal á chur ar fáil sa cheantar i dTearmann Éanna.

Leanfaidh an tAire Stáit, an Teachta Butler, ar aghaidh agus beidh sí i dteagmháil leis an bpríomhoifigeach i gcúram sláinte pobail an iarthair faoin ábhar seo.

As the Deputy will be aware, there are particular challenges at the moment in securing the nursing staff required to match all service requirements. A number of our geographically remote rural health service facilities have experienced challenges in recruiting staff. Such challenges can impact on bed capacity and have forced us at times to take difficult decisions to close beds. The Minister has been informed that a number of beds in Áras Mhic Dara are closed due to staffing issues. However, she has also been assured that when adequate staffing is available, these beds will be reopened. The HSE has advised that a rolling recruitment campaign is ongoing and officials have been asked to monitor the position and advise of any developments.

Primary care centres play a key role in delivering a reformed health service. A national prioritisation exercise to review primary care centre locations was undertaken in 2012 by the primary care division of the HSE. Primary care centres were prioritised on the basis of service need, availability of appropriate existing facilities and the level of deprivation in each area. Any reconfiguration or new locations identified since the rankings were produced in 2012 have been determined locally in line with the needs of local communities.

At present, there are no plans for the delivery of a primary care centre in An Cheathrú Rua. However, ten primary care centres are operational in County Galway, with a further one currently in construction in Portumna which is due to be completed in the fourth quarter of next year.

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